Monday, Monday
by Maggie Marshall
Summary: When Monday brings five dead bodies and Bug's parents, nothing good can come of it - or can it?
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own these characters - they just decided to come out and play. Enjoy!_

Bug marched into the break room, coffee cup in hand. "Mornings…" he grumbled, slamming the cup on the counter. He moaned, realizing that the coffee pot was empty. "What does it take to get a little caffeine in this place?"

"Easy there, Bug," Jordan comforted, pulling a bag of grounds from the cupboard. "Aren't we a little testy for a Monday?"

"This coming from the woman who can't breathe without a triple latte in her hand," Bug argued.

Jordan's face wrinkled in mock pain. "Caffeine good…" she grunted. "Mean Bug… bad."

Bug rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, you'd be pretty cranky too if you got this." He reached into his coat pocket and threw a white envelope onto the table.

"What's this?" Jordan asked, picking up the note and opening it.

"An invitation to a medical forum in Boston," Bug explained with disgust. "An invitation to speak at a medical forum, to be exact."

"Doncha just hate it when professionals think you've got something interesting to say?" Jordan said sarcastically.

"I hate going to these things. It's always the same. People stand around, talk about the great discoveries they've made, the interesting lives they lead. It's awful."

"Sounds terrible," Jordan teased. "Is someone afraid of making a public appearance?"

"It's not the speech." Bug stopped for a moment. "Well, not entirely." He looked seriously at Jordan. "The administrator of the forum is an old friend of my parents. Probably the only reason he asked me."

"And?" Jordan commented, missing the point.

"And if he's invited me…"

Jordan's eyes lit up. "When do they get here?"

Bug sighed. "They arrive on Thursday."

"Do we get to meet them?" Jordan's smile grew larger. "Oh please, Bug! We have to meet them!"

Lily strolled into the break room. "Meet who?" she asked, going for the fridge and pulling out an apple.

"Bug's Mom and Dad," Jordan answered, a little too happily. "They're coming to Boston."

"That's great!" Lily said, being supportive. The look of grief on Bug's face told her a different story. "Okay, so it's not great?" She looked to Jordan for answers.

"No, it's not," Bug ranted. "You've never met these people before. My parents. They're just so…" He struggled for the words. "… critical."

Jordan scoffed. "Ah, a new member to the club."

Bug shook his head, not finding any support in the room. "This is different. You've never had to deal with **my** parents." He grabbed his mug from the counter and started out the door.

"What about your coffee?" Jordan yelled after him. Bug threw his hands up in defeat, continuing into the hallway.

Jordan turned to Lily with a shrug. "Talk about caffeine withdrawal."

XXXXX

"Boredom is a bastard," Nigel whined, leaning back in a lab chair. Bug, Nigel and Sydney sat in the trace lab, staring into space. "Remind me the next time the Reaper takes a little holiday, to book the time off too."

"We've had slow times before, Guys," Garret explained, stepping into the room. He looked around at his staff, noting the obvious monotony. "Isn't there something that you people could be doing?

"Sorry, Dr. M," Nigel argued. "We're leaving the crypt locker clean up until we've gone comatose."

"Look, you've got some paperwork that still needs to be filled out on the Meyers case," Garret ordered. "And Bug, those larvae in the break room are beginning to freak out the support staff."

"But the banana culture won't be ready for at least two more days," Bug argued.

Lily rushed into the lab, clipboard in hand. "Dr. Macy? We've got two bodies coming in now and another three are on their way," she said, a little out of breath. "They're all from the South Boston Seniors Care Home."

"Well boys, looks like you won't be bored for much longer," Garret stated, following Lily out the door.

A smile grew on Nigel's face. "It's show time!"

XXXXX

"Five bodies," Garret began reading from a chart in his hand. His staff was poised around the autopsy bay, ready for action. "Three men and two women, all over the age of 75. All from the same nursing home." He lifted the sheets from the bodies as he spoke. "The orderly said they were found last night; all died in their sleep."

"Maybe dinner did them in…" Nigel proposed, stepping closer to one of the individuals.

"Must've been a hell of a meatloaf," Jordan joined in, examining the eyes of the man closest to her. "No reticule hemorrhaging, pupils normal. Definitely not a stroke."

"This one's are dilated suggesting some sort of cerebral event," Bug stated. He looked around at the five bodies, a confused look on his face. "Five coincidental deaths?"

"A dodgy coincidence," Nigel argued. "Two, maybe three. But all five?"

Garret silenced everyone with a raised hand. "We're not going to know until we examine these people. Let's start with two of them down in trace. We'll make a decision one person at a time."

Bug, Nigel and Jordan began wheeling gurneys from the room as Lily stepped inside. "Dr. Macy? The director from the senior's home is here," she stated, handing Garret some paperwork.

Garret looked at her questioningly, noticing the completed paperwork. "These shouldn't be filled out by the director. The forms need to be done by a family member."

"That's just it," Lily shrugged. "None of them have family."

XXXXX

"Dr. Kitchmen, we thought that the next of kin would be notified by the care home," Garret protested as he took a seat across from the larger man in the boardroom.

"I'm afraid that there is no next of kin for these folks," the jolly-looking director explained. "You see, South Boston is a lower income seniors complex. We reach out to those who are less fortune – financially. Many of our residents are alone in this world; some times out living their spouses and children or there was simply no family to begin with. We give these people a place they can belong."

Garret looked at Lily, a little put off by the man's passionate speech. Lily smiled patiently. "Will you be claiming these people?" she asked softly.

"Oh, of course. One of our requirements is that when our residents pass on from this world, everything is pre-arranged. The funeral, the burial, their estates. I am simply here to oversee their transition."

Lily politely nodded at the man, eyes wide at his calm simplicity of the process.

"Well, after we've completed the autopsies, we will notify you," Garret resolved, standing.

"Are autopsies necessary?" Dr. Kitchmen asked.

"It's standard procedure, Doctor," Garret stated, try to brush off the director's lack of knowledge. "Surely you know that."

The man laughed uncomfortably. "Of course… of course I do. I am just not certain that these instances warrant the need. All of these fine people passed on in their sleep."

"But it's the law," Lily added, trying to help.

Dr. Kitchmen nodded in easy agreement and stood, extending his hand to Dr. Macy. "I guess I will be hearing from you then." He quickly gathered his things and fled the room.

Lily looked incredulously at Garret. "Was it just me or did he seem a bit… well… off?" she asked.

"Ah… yeah," he concurred. "I have a feeling his patients may have just made the wrong transition."


	2. Chapter 2

"Robert Stevens. Age 78. Body temp is 92 degrees. Puts time of death approximately 8 to 10 hours," Jordan reported as she began the internal examination of one of the senior citizens.

"If all of these end up being heart attacks," Bug complained as he cut open another body, "someone is gonna have to pay."

"Lily said the director of the home was a little suspicious, Bug. We just might have a murder case on our hands," Jordan argued sarcastically. "Won't that be fun?"

"Yeah, right. This guy just wanted to make room for a few new residents." Bug broke open the rib cage. "But everything is so inconsistent. There is evidence of liver disease with this one. His skin is so jaundice, he looks like a lemon."

"Well, no signs of liver malfunctions here," Jordan concluded. "But there is extensive gastrointestinal damage." She began removing sections of the small intestine.

"That can be attributed to various diseases," Bug commented. "Cancer, Crohn's. Given the man's age, the damage could have been laying in wait for years until the intestines ruptured."

Jordan examined the bowels, noting abnormalities. "Hey Bug. Come look at this."

Bug put down his victim's liver and wandered towards the other gurney. "What do you make of this?" Jordan asked as Bug leaned over to look at several worm-like specimens attached to the lining of the intestine. He grabbed a pair of tweezers and extracted one of the white worms.

"Blow fly larvae," he announced, taking the sample over to a microscope. "But that's strange. Blow fly larvae have an incubation period of 3 days. To be found in the intestinal tract would have taken over a week. These people have only been dead, as far as we know, for 12 hours – maximum. It doesn't make sense."

"How does someone attract these things?" Jordan inquired, peering over Bug's shoulder at the monitor projection of the larvae.

"There are types of blow flies that are commonly found in the New England area. This fellow here looks like a Phaenicia sericata, commonly known as green bottle flies," he said, adjusting the focus of the microscope. "These are usually drawn to a body with open sores like a gunshot or stab wound. Some times if a body has been in an open area for an extended period of time, decomp attracts them. But rigor has barely set in with these people and there are no open sores or cuts."

"Maybe a scientific abnormality?" Jordan suggested, not quite believing it herself.

"Not usually. But where there is one group of these larvae, there is typically more," Bug replied, looking over to the remaining bodies.

Jordan shrugged, picking up a scalpel. "Only one way to find out."

XXXXX

"We have five bodies… all infested with blow fly larvae," Jordan reported as the three senior MEs strolled through the hallway. "But all seem to have separate causes of death – Mr. Stevens, a ruptured intestinal tract. Mr. Fitzgerald – heart attack."

"Mr. Givens – liver failure and the two women, Mrs. Cowen and Mrs. Tanner both died from massive strokes," Bug continued as they stepped into the break room. "None of them have open wounds of any type."

"I checked with the Boston health department," Nigel said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Our break room probably has more health code violations than this care home."

"Just because there are larvae doesn't mean the facility is unclean," Bug argued, grabbing a Danish from the counter. "You can have infestation in a hospital if you leave the body long enough…"

"Heshy?" a female voice called from behind the trio. Bug whirled around to see his parents standing in the doorway with Lily looming behind, a regretful look on her face.

"Mom! Dad!" Bug said, mustering up an enthusiastic hello. "What are you doing here?" He crossed the room to give his tiny mother a hug. "You weren't supposed to be in until Thursday."

"We decided to come early," Bug's father said, his accent strong. "Spend some time with our son."

"That's great," Bug replied, sounding less than believable.

"It really is," Jordan piped up, stepping forward. Bug looked at her viciously, knowing what she wanted but refusing to give in to her.

"Heshy, aren't you going to introduce us to your friends?" Bug's mother inquired, smiling sweetly at her son.

"Oh, of course," he said, exasperated. "Mom, Dad… this is Jordan, Nigel and I think you've met Lily." As Bug pointed out each individual, it was apparent that he just wanted to flee. "Everyone, this is my Mom and Dad."

"Mahesh…" his mother scolded. She politely turned to the group. "Please call me Kanchana. And this is my husband, Vikram."

"It's a pleasure," Jordan ensured, extending her hand. "When Bug told us his parents were coming, we were thrilled to finally get to meet you."

"I am just happy to meet Heshy's friends. He has told us so much about all of you," Kanchana gushed, shaking Jordan's hand. "And such a pretty girl you are, Jordan."

"Mom," Bug warned, watching Jordan smile innocently. "Maybe I should show you around…"

"Actually, we would like to go home and rest. The flight was very long," Vikram requested.

Horror washed over Bug's face. "Ah, no… not just yet. Um… maybe we should get you some thing to eat first," he backpedaled. "You must be starving."

"Oh yes," Nigel stepped in to save his friend. "We get these brilliant pastries from down the street." He ushered them towards the open boxes on the counter.

Lily followed them into the room, giving Bug a reassuring smile. "They seem nice," she said to him, trying to calm Bug's anxious look.

"I'm in trouble."

"What?" Lily looked at him. "Why?"

Bug blushed. "Last night," he explained, not making eye contact, "I needed to relax after talking to those two." He nodded towards his mother and father. "The place is a mess."

"Bug," Lily challenged, "Your place is never a mess."

"To my mother, it will be."

She looked at him sympathetically, holding out her hand. "Give me your keys."

"What?"

"Give me your apartment keys. I don't have an appointment until 4. I can be there and back before you know it."

Bug looked at her with uncertainty and then to his parents who were devouring donuts with Jordan and Nigel. He reached into his pocket, fishing out the keys. "There is a box in the back of my closet." His voice dropped to an urgent whisper. "It has things from my mother in it that… well…"

"That only come out when the parents visit," Lily finished. "I understand. Not a problem." She patted him on the arm. "Keep them busy for about an hour. I'll be done in no time."

Bug smiled gratefully. "Thanks Lily. I appreciate this."

She shrugged. "That's what I'm here for, isn't it?"

XXXXX

As Lily opened the bedroom closet, she was not surprised to see that Bug's typical order extended to his wardrobe. All of his clothes were neatly hung; his shoes lining the floor in perfect rows. She had been to Bug's apartment numerous times, the familiar smells of curry and his cologne making her smile.

He was right. The place was a mess, at least for Bug. An obvious bender had taken place with bottles cluttering the sink and kitchen counter. She found piles of paper covering the living room floor as Bug attempted to write his impending speech in a drunken stooper. Textbooks and journals used for reference lay next to crumpled balls of unsuccessful written drafts.

Lily reached into the back of the closet, retrieving a large box, brimming with unopened gifts. Carrying it to the bed, she began to unwrap numerous trinkets and small pieces artwork from the Indian culture. All of the cards were signed from his parents, which seemed to go back several years. Trying to decide where put various items, Lily came across a small jewelry box.

Gently opening it revealed a delicate jade and gold necklace and a small printed card with the inscription: _Heshy. For your bride. Love Mom and Dad._ Lily quickly returned the necklace and card to the box, afraid she may have stumbled across something too precious for her eyes. She gathered up the remainder of the items and hurried out to the living room to display them.

Bug's tastes were fairly plain; his apartment contained very few personal effects. Lily placed a statue beside the framed group photo she had given to him for his last birthday. It was taken at Max's bar during one of their common 'social' functions and was Lily's favourite. Bug had a drink in his hand, raising it to the camera while his other arm was around her shoulders. Nigel's head poked between them while Jordan tried to piggy back Garret, failing miserably. Woody was crouched in front of the group, unaware of the hi-jinks behind him. Lily giggled in spite of herself, placing another knick-knack on a shelf. It was amazing what a little alcohol could do to some people.

As she put away the remaining papers, Lily heard the door handle jiggle and Bug appear from the other side. Lily shoved the drawer closed and smiled innocently as everyone entered, surprised to see her.

"Mahesh?" Bug's mother questioned with shock.

"Ah, Lily!" Bug looked at her anxiously. "I thought you would be finished by now."

"Finished what?" Kanchana inquired, her disapproval apparent.

"Ah… Mom… you see… Lily is… ah…"

"I'm his cleaning lady," Lily finished quickly. "I clean apartments here and there."

"Clean apartments?" Bug's father interjected. "But I thought that you worked with Mahesh… at the morgue."

"I do," Lily reassured, lacking her own assurance. "But… I do this on the side. To make a little extra money."

"Ah," the parents both nodded with little belief.

Lily took this as the best time to take her leave. "I guess everything is in order." She grabbed her coat, making her way to the door.

"Mahesh," Bug's mother began. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Bug simply stood there, dumbfounded.

"Aren't you going to pay the poor girl?"

"Oh… right…" Bug rushed over to the door, grabbing his wallet from his pocket. He stared at Lily. "How much do I owe you?"

Lily patted the wallet. "Don't you remember? You pay me the beginning of every month."

"Of course… That's right." Bug smiled innocently, turning to his parents. "I pay her at the beginning of the month." A look of displeasure was on both of their faces as the two parents began taking their luggage into the bedroom.

"I stopped by the grocery store," Lily whispered, watching the other couple struggle with the bags. "I figured you might need some things." She handed him the apartment keys. "Oh! I picked up some of that cumin bread that I know you like. I hope your parents have the same tastes."

Bug smiled in relief. "I forgot about the fridge." He wrinkled his nose. "Thank you Lily. I owe you one."

"Trust me. I'm keeping track," she responded as Bug's parents returned to the living room. "Nice to meet you again Mr. and Mrs. Vijayaraghavensatyanaryanamurthy," Lily said with perfect pronunciation. "I'll see you tomorrow, Bug." She left, leaving Bug's parents more than a little stunned.


	3. Chapter 3

"I have been analyzing the blow fly larvae," Bug said, making his way through the forensic evidence lab with Jordan. "That fact that there are larvae is inconsistent with the normal behaviour of blow flies. We shouldn't see these for at least 2 days after death."

They stopped at a bench laden with jars of insects and a microscope. "They were present in either the stomach or intestinal tracts of our victims," Bug explained while preparing a slide and slipping it under the scope. "But there were no signs of entry. We would have seen further decomposition." He stepped back from the bench to give Jordan full view of the slide. "So, I decided to look at this a bit differently."

"What am I seeing here, Bug?" Jordan asked, staring at the long white cross-section of something that made her skin crawl.

"It's one of the blow fly larvae that we removed from Mr. Steven's intestine," he said, leaning into the bench. "As larvae eat their way through flesh, they tend to absorb whatever is in the body. So, if the victim is polluted with a toxin, then the larva is likely contaminated as well."

Jordan turned to Bug, a grin on her face. "What did you find?"

He matched her smile and crossed the room to a nearby printer, grabbing a few sheets of paper. "The tox screen revealed high levels of polyacetal resin."

"Formaldehyde? From what?" Jordan looked incredulously at her colleague. "None of these people have been through that process and nothing appeared on their tox screens."

Bug's grin grew larger. "Which means the larvae must have been present in bodies that were already embalmed," he explained, his voice full of suggestion.

"And then ended up in the stomachs of our five victims." Jordan shook her head. "But how?"

Bug's eyebrows raised in anticipation as Jordan's face fell in realization. "They ate them?"

"Or at least something that was already infested with the larvae."

"Some thing that had been prepared for burial," Jordan sighed. "Five people, all from the same care home. All have eaten something containing these larvae." She made her way to the door. "I think we need to see what's on the menu this evening at South Boston Seniors Home."

XXXXX

"You're screwing with me, right?" Woody whispered harshly to Jordan as they sat in the waiting area of the South Boston Seniors Care Home. "Maybe they just ate some bad food."

"Damn right it was bad food," Jordan concurred. "That just happened to be embalmed before serving."

Woody turned to look at Jordan, straight in the eye. "So, what you're telling me is that these people have been eating… well, people?" Woody's face contorted in disgust.

"Soylent Green, my dear Woody," Jordan said in her best Charlton Heston voice.

"I think I'm going to throw up." Woody turned away, his back to Jordan.

"Hey, didn't you once tell me that you have no ethical issues about eating human flesh?" Jordan questioned, thoroughly amused.

He whirled around. "That was out of desperation," Woody defended. "And only then."

"Dr. Cavanaugh, I presume," a man said, suddenly appearing in front of them. "I'm Dr. Kitchmen. What can I do for you today?"

Jordan and Woody stood to greet the director. "Dr. Kitchmen, this is Detective Hoyt with the Boston P.D. We just have a few questions regarding the deaths of your five residents."

"Oh, of course," the man said, perkiness in his voice. "Why don't we just go to my office?" He directed them down a long hallway, the white walls almost blinding. "It's just down here."

Jordan and Woody followed at a reasonable distance, ensuring the confidentiality of their conversation. "So, what are you going to say to this guy?" Woody asked. "Excuse me, Sir. Do you happen to have roasted Mr. Smith on the menu this evening?"

"Served with a delightful orange sauce, tastes just like chicken," Jordan finished as they stepped into an extravagant office. Jordan took a look around the room, noting the Oriental rug on the floor and the Ming vase displayed on the wall before taking a seat in a large leather back chair. "The care home must be doing very well for itself," she commented, staring hard at the director. "You have very expensive taste." She nodded towards the large mahogany desk that sat between them.

"Well, I don't know if you would call us lucrative but with the funeral home attached, we don't do too badly," the doctor said, a sweet smiled on his lips.

Jordan looked knowingly at Woody, who merely sunk deeper into his chair, swallowing back the urge from his stomach. He was going to have to leave this one up to Jordan.

XXXXX

"So, from the looks of things, the victims consumed the same substance that contained the green bottle flies," Bug explained to Nigel and Lily as they sat around the break room, Chinese food boxes covering the table.

"Substance?" Lily asked, picking at her chow mein noodles.

"Probably human flesh," Bug answered, rather nonchalantly.

"Oh, come on!" Lily exclaimed, throwing her chopsticks down in disgust.

"You gonna finish that, Luv?" Nigel asked, reaching for the box. Lily shook her head, pushing the unfinished food towards him and slightly turning green.

"What?" Bug chuckled at her reaction. "You asked."

"Yeah," Lily laughed in spite of herself, "But you didn't have to tell me."

"Mahesh, there you are," a familiar female voice called from the door.

Bug whipped around to see his mother and father standing there, déjà vu once again.

"When you told us you were working late tonight, we thought you would be missing dinner," Kanchana accused.

Bug stood, making his way to the door, his body language apologetic. "Well, we just decided to take a break and ordered in," he explained, trying to appease his mother.

"But we already had dinner plans made," Vikram said, "With Tushar's daughter."

"Dad," Bug pleaded, knowing this was going to turn into another round of the matchmaking game.

"She's waiting for you in the hallway," Kanchana indicated through the large window towards a stunning young Indian woman standing near the elevator.

"Wow," Nigel's whisper could be heard in the background before Lily elbowed him in the ribs.

"You remember Neha, don't you Heshy?" his mother asked, smiling as interest grew on her son's face. "You two used to play together back home."

"She's definitely changed," Bug replied, moving closer to the window.

"Mahesh, go talk to the girl," Vikram urged. "She came to see you."

Bug turned around to look at Nigel and Lily, a little uncertain but very impressed with what his parents had brought to dinner.

"Go on," Nigel insisted, practically pushing Bug into the hall.

Bug shrugged and nodded his compliance with the situation. He followed his parents out the door to meet the dish outside.

Lily glared at Nigel, shaking her head in disgust. "This is crazy," she said pointing out the window to where introductions were being made.

A grin appeared on Nigel's face. "Lily dear, do I sense a hint of jealousy?"

Lily glowered, shaking off the comment. "I respect the East Indian traditions but they are forcing him to like a girl he doesn't even know."

"They are just introducing them," Nigel argued, turning towards the window, "And I must say, they made a damn good choice."

"But their motives are entirely selfish. They have been driving him crazy with all the marriage talk," Lily reasoned, plopping herself back down into the couch. "I just think that Bug should get into a relationship with someone he chooses; someone he cares about."

Nigel picked up a box of egg foo young and looked gently at Lily before stepping from the room. "And just who do you think that is, Luv?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Well, that was a waste of time," Woody complained as he followed Jordan out the door of Dr. Kitchmen's office. "He wasn't exactly forthcoming with the information."

"Would you be?" Jordan asked, starting down the hall. "I mean, after feeding your residents what possibly could have been one of their friends, you wouldn't exactly be bragging either."

They passed by several rooms filled with patients when suddenly one stepped right in front of them, grabbing Woody's arm. "Have you found Milly?" an elderly man pleaded desperately with them.

"Excuse me?" Woody asked, looking at Jordan for help.

"Milly," he repeated, agitated. "I haven't seen her since supper. We were supposed to play bridge this afternoon but I can't find her."

"I'm afraid we don't know any Milly," Jordan replied, taking interest in the man's ramblings.

"Well then, they've just taken her then," the confused man muttered, throwing his arms up in defeat. "They take everyone. And not in the usual way, if you know what I mean…" he finished, whispering to Jordan and Woody.

Woody shrugged, simply ignoring the delusions of an old man. Jordan smacked him on the shoulder. "What do you mean they take them away?" she asked, demanding more information.

The man realized that he finally had someone's attention and latched onto Jordan. "It happens all the time," he said emphatically. "I just didn't think they'd take her."

"Milly?" Jordan asked, looking at Woody, trying to find some assistance. "Why would they take her?"

"It doesn't matter. For any reason at all," the elderly man spoke with regret. "Dr. Kitchmen just tells them to take us and it's done. No one ever sees them again."

"Who takes them?" Woody immediately took notice at the mention of Dr. Kitchmen.

Suddenly, the director appeared from behind them. "Now Howard, don't pester these nice people," he commanded, grabbing a hold of the older man's arm and handing him over to a passing orderly. "Take Howie to his room."

Dr. Kitchmen then turned apologetically to the two investigators. "Forgive Howard. He doesn't always know what he's saying."

"He mentioned someone name Milly," Jordan questioned, as she and Woody were being directed towards the exit.

Dr. Kitchmen shook his head. "We don't have anyone here by that name. Howard just likes to make up these companions. Keeps him company. It might be Milly today and then it'll be Lucy tomorrow."

Jordan nodded slowly, looking at Woody with a suspicious glare. "Yeah, funny how someone can be there one minute and gone the next."

XXXXX

"So, my mother tells me that you specialized in pharmacy," Bug stated, trying to make polite conversation with Neha. The couple sat in an upscale restaurant, the atmosphere stuffy and strained. Bug picked at the food in front of him, his stomach a good indication of his nervousness.

"That's right," Neha answered, sounding slightly annoyed. "And you look at insects, right?" Bug nodded. "We discussed this last night, with your parents," she reminded.

"Oh, right…" Bug said sheepishly, looking back at his plate. "Sorry."

With a large sigh, Neha put down her fork, apology written on her face. "Mahesh, look." she began, "My father asked me to try this and I have but…"

Bug raised his hand. "You don't have to finish," he said with defeat.

Neha patted his arm. "There is already someone in my life. Someone my father hardly approves of," she chuckled at the thought. She then looked at Bug, straight in the eye. "Do you know what it's like when you're trying to please everyone but yourself?"

"Yeah," Bug whispered. "I do."

"How then, do you keep yourself happy when it seems no one else really knows what you want?" Neha asked, taking a sip of her wine and finally taking interest in their conversation.

Bug sat thoughtfully for a few moments before cracking a small smile. "I guess you get to a point where you need to make yourself happy, regardless of what anyone else thinks," he reasoned.

Neha grinned. "Yeah, well, with parents as traditional as mine, I don't see that happening any time soon."

Bug simply shrugged, understanding her situation. "But some times you have to go after whatever it is you want." He picked up his fork, returning to his meal. "Or else you'll never be happy."

XXXXX

"We need to talk to Howard again," Jordan demanded as she stormed through the trace lab doors with Nigel and Woody at her heels. "He knows something."

"Jordan," Woody warned. "The man is crazy. He doesn't know what he's talking about."

"Crazy – not exactly, " Nigel corrected as he scooped up a file from a nearby desk. "I checked into your 'source' and it seems that South Boston's Seniors Home has only one registered Howard." He read from the file. "A Howard Rempel. And from the looks of it, Mr. Rempel was admitted in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease." Nigel looked apologetically at Jordan while Woody grinned with triumph.

"Sorry, Jordan," Nigel said with a shrug.

"See?" Woody taunted. "He's even clinically crazy. How can we trust this guy?"

"Alzheimer's patients have a certain level of lucidity," Jordan reasoned. "Depending on the advancement of the disease. If we can get him to talk to us…"

Woody rolled his eyes. "So we talk to him… then what? Anything that he gives us will be hard pressed as admissible."

Jordan stood thoughtfully for a few moments, trying to sort through the situation. "If he knows something, then chances are that someone else does too."

"Fine," Woody conceded, knowing she would never quit. "We'll go back." The group started from the lab and into the break room. "But if anyone pinches my cheeks, you're going to get it." He snatched a donut from a box on the table and marched out of the room.

Jordan shrugged before grabbing a coffee. "Probably spent too much time with Aunt Gertrude," she said, taking a long sip.

A large sigh came from the corner of the room where Bug sat, papers surrounding him. "A little frustrated, my friend?" Nigel asked, stepping towards the table.

Bug looked up at Nigel, a scowl on his face. "I don't know why I ever agreed to this." He threw down his pen.

"Awww, Bug," Jordan said with encouragement. "You know exactly what to write. Some of your research is amazing."

"Doctors who have discovered cures for a myriad of diseases will be listening to me, Jordan," Bug cried. "They really don't want to hear some little foreign guy who plays with insects."

"Oh come off it," Nigel shook his head. "You're better than this, Buggles. Your research is just as good as any of those cocky blokes out there."

"You're just saying that," Bug replied.

Nigel sighed in desperation. "You're right, Bug. I'm just talking to hear myself." He tapped the papers on the table. "You've been in this self-loathing mood ever since you got that stupid invitation. And now you have the chance to prove yourself worthy to speak amongst those head honchos and you're still sitting here wallowing in pity." Nigel berated, starting out of the room. "And I would have thought that you would be in shear bliss with that little number your parents brought in." He shook his head. "Go figure."

As Nigel left, Jordan stared inquisitively at Bug. "Little Number?" she asked, watching Bug whimper and lay his head on the table. "What did I say?"


	5. Chapter 5

"All right, Jordan," Woody said, his arms wide in display. "We're here. Now what?"

"We need to find someone who knows Howard Rempel," Jordan answered, peaking through the doorways leading down the hall. "Someone who can corroborate his story."

"Why don't we just ask Dr. Kitchmen?" Woody taunted.

Jordan was about to make a smart retort when the director appeared from nowhere, startling them both. "Can I help you with some thing, Dr. Cavanaugh?"

Jordan looked sheepishly at the man. "Actually, when we ran into Mr. Rempel yesterday," she began.

"Ah," Dr. Kitchmen interrupted. "Howard Rempel is no longer with us."

"He died?" Woody exclaimed.

"No, no," Kitchmen laughed. "Nothing that tragic." He began directing the two towards the front door. "His family decided that they wanted him closer to them. They decided to take him in."

"Mr. Rempel has a family?" Jordan inquired with doubt.

"Yes, Dr. Cavanaugh," Dr. Kitchmen looked at his guests with slight uneasiness. "Some of our clients do actually have families. They are the ones who choose to leave their loved ones in places like this." He pointed to the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some paperwork that needs to be done."

Woody jumped into action, taking the attention of the director. "Now if someone really wanted to 'leave' a loved one, as you say, in your facility, how could that be done?" Woody led Dr. Kitchmen off to the side, giving Jordan a chance to look around.

She slowly made her way down the dorm hallway, passing rooms with stoic people, the white walls not exactly stimulating. Most patients looked almost comatose and Jordan got the shivers imagining how stark and depressing lives could be in a nursing home.

"Excuse me?" a small voice said from behind her. Jordan turned to see a petite white-haired woman standing in a doorway. "Did I hear you mention Howard?"

"Uh, yeah," Jordan replied, stepping towards the woman. "Do you happen to know him?"

"Oh, of course. Everyone knows Howie," the woman commented, letting Jordan into her room. "It's such a shame – the fact they took him."

"His family?" Jordan asked a little surprised.

"Family? Heck, no," the woman exclaimed. "Howard's only son hasn't been around here for nearly two years. He just pays the bills. Less guilt that way."

"So then where?" Jordan looked at the woman with renewed hope.

"The fridge," the woman whispered cautiously.

"Fridge?"

"Well, at least that's what the nurses call it," the woman's voice turned angry. "They're always threatening us that bad behaviour will lead to the fridge." She shrugged. "Howie must have done something awful because I heard them take him last night." She stepped into the doorway and indicated down the hall. "I don't sleep very well. They give us those pills but I won't take them. They make me nauseous. So, I end up hearing a lot of things."

"Do you know where this 'Fridge' is?" Jordan asked, digging deeper.

The woman took Jordan's arm and led her further into the hall. She carefully looked around, ensuring that no one would share in their secret. "Go down to the end, to those double doors. Then turn to your left," she said in a deep whisper. "That's as far as I have ever been. They won't allow us through there."

Jordan nodded a thank you and hurried down the hallway. She quickly passed by many empty rooms before slowly opening the double doors and searching the next corridor. With the coast clear, she made a left and cautiously looked for what could be considered 'the Fridge'.

The hallway was different from the rest of the building. The lights were dim and the floor was dirty from heavy traffic. At the end, Jordan found a set of heavy steel doors. Trying the handle, she discovered it unlocked and quickly opened it. A blast of cold air hit her face and she found herself in an old meat locker.

The room was blindingly bright and noticing that there was no inside handle, Jordan wedged the door open with heavy boxes that were stacked high. Finally getting a look around, the large locker was a makeshift crypt, a few bodies laid out on gurneys, ready for the funerals in the adjacent building. As she entered, a noise from a far corner caught her attention. Carefully pushing away an obstructing gurney, Jordan revealed a semi-conscious and nearly frozen Howard Rempel.

"Mr. Rempel!" Jordan exclaimed, pushing away the remaining obstacles and kneeling in front of the man. "Mr. Rempel? Are you all right?"

As she reached to check his pulse, a voice from behind startled her. "Hey! You can't be in here!" an orderly yelled.

"Call an ambulance!" Jordan ordered, trying to revive the elderly man. The confused orderly stood in the doorway, a little shocked by the scene. "Now!" she urged.

As the orderly ran off, Jordan focused on Mr. Rempel. "It'll be okay, Howard," she said quietly. "We're going to get you out of here."

XXXXX

"So, Dr. Kitchmen kept these poor folks in a meat locker?" Nigel clarified with astonishment as he strolled through the morgue hall with Jordan and Woody.

"From the looks of it," Woody explained, "Kitchmen believed it was his form of punishment. Like an adult 'time out'."

"And when the director discovered that he could essentially get rid of the people without causing too much suspicion," Jordan added, "He turned punishment into a death sentence."

"The cold probably intensified any pre-existing conditions," Nigel reasoned as they reached Jordan's office. "Killing the victims faster."

"But since none of these people had any involved families, Kitchmen would still receive the rent checks," Woody included.

"What about the five we received in our morgue?" Nigel inquired.

"One of the orderlies wasn't wise to the rules at South Boston. He phoned the morgue, thinking these people had died during the night and were brought to the locker to be transferred later," Woody answered.

"And the larvae?" Nigel asked with a grin.

"We found several other bodies that were prepared for burial," Jordan said, sitting down at her desk and watching Woody squirm. "An old meat locker can only do so much. But the five who were forced in there were probably alone for days, close to starvation." She grinned. "It was probably a lot like that movie, _Alive_. You've seen that one, haven't you Woody?"

"One hell of a frozen dinner," Nigel added as Woody turned a few shades of green.

"That's it!" he exclaimed. "I'm outta here!"

"Awww, c'mon Woodrow," Nigel quipped as he followed the sick detective passing Lily in the doorway. "We're just making a little fun."

"Woody," Lily commented as she stepped into the office. "You don't look so good." He waved her off, marching down the hall, closely followed by a smirking Nigel.

Lily simply shrugged at Jordan. "So, I hear you guys solved the senior citizen's case."

"Yeah," Jordan said as Lily took as seat on the couch. "What those people went though during their last days, having to resort to – well, you know," she saved Lily the unnecessary description. "There is an inquiry into Kitchmen's facility. He's probably been doing this for so long, if it wasn't for Bug's insects, he'd still be in business."

"Yeah," Lily agreed, somewhat distracted, "good catch."

Jordan noticed the uneasiness. "Something wrong, Lily?"

Lily looked at Jordan, debating whether or not to speak her mind. With a long sigh, Lily asked, "Jordan? Can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

"Oh, it's one of those…"

Lily blushed. "Yeah… um… what do you… ah… think about friends becoming more than, well, friends?"

Jordan raised an eyebrow, urging Lily to elaborate.

"Well, what if you were friends with someone – close friends – and then one day realized that maybe you wanted something more?" she asked with hesitation.

Jordan nodded, searching for something to say. "Well, there is always the danger of ruining the friendship."

"Exactly!" Lily agreed with relief.

"But…" Jordan began.

"But?"

"Well, I guess the thing is that you know this person. You've accepted them for all of their faults and they've accepted you for yours." Jordan sat back in her chair, deep in contemplation. "That's why you're friends. So… it's seems natural that if you have feelings for one another, you would want to… well… see what else they have to offer. To see what you could be missing – only being friends."

Lily sat silently, a little floored by Jordan's explanation. "Hypothetically speaking, of course," Jordan finished, looking carefully at Lily, watching her work through the information.

"On a completely unrelated note," she added after a few moments, "Have you heard Bug's speech yet?"

Lily's head snapped up and a gradual smile appeared on her face. "He finished it?"

"Yeah," Jordan nodded. "He read it to me about an hour ago. He's nervous as hell."

Lily giggled. "Yeah. Not surprising."

"It's a shame though," Jordan said with suggestion in her voice. "He won't have anyone there to cheer him on."

"But that woman…" Lily offered.

Jordan interrupted, shaking her head. "Nope. She's gone. I guess the first date was the last."

Lily stood, looking at Jordan with consideration. "So, he'll be all alone?"

"Well, not if you include his parents." Jordan smiled with encouragement. "But it would be nice if there was someone there that meant something to him… someone like a friend?"

Lily nodded in understanding and appreciation. "Thanks Jordan," she said, quickly leaving the office.

"No problem!" Jordan called after her, smiling to herself. "Hypothetically speaking…"


	6. Chapter 6

Bug groaned as he struggled with the cufflinks to his tuxedo. "This is ridiculous," he grumbled, trying to do up the clasps as he dressed in the trace lab.

"You're looking pretty handsome there, Doctor," Lily's voice echoed from the doorway behind him.

"Yeah, but these damn cufflinks…" he began, turning towards her voice. Bug stopped in his tracks, his jaw hanging open as he took a look at the woman before him. Lily was dressed in a very flattering black cocktail dress. Her hair was down, slightly curled and a string of classy pearls finished the ensemble. "Wow… Lily," Bug stuttered. "You look amazing."

Lily blushed lightly, brushing off the compliment. "Just a little something I pulled from the closet." She smiled sweetly.

"But…" Bug said, a little confused. "Why?"

"Lily Lebowski. Mild mannered grief counselor by day, medical gala escort by night," Lily joked, looking hopeful. "That is, if you'll take me…"

"I'll take, I'll take," Bug replied anxiously. He smiled his thanks before turning his attention back to his cufflinks. "If I can ever get these things on."

"Here, let me help," Lily offered, throwing her dress coat on a nearby table and crossing the room. She gently took his wrist and with ease, clasped both cufflinks on. "There," she finished, proceeding to straighten his tie.

Bug's face grew grim. "I don't know if I can do this, Lily."

"Of course you can," she encouraged, grabbing his tuxedo jacket and turning him around. "You have your speech, right?" He nodded as she slipped on the coat. "And there's nothing to worry about. This is your moment. You're going to be great." She smoothed out the back and spun him around, looking him in the eye. "I know you will."

Bug closed his eyes and took one last sigh before picking up Lily's own coat. "Then we'd better get going. Don't want to be late." Bug offered his arm, which Lily accepted and they made their way to the door. "Here goes nothing."

XXXXX

The hotel ballroom was elegantly lit, a dozen tables scattered the floor. The atmosphere was high class; everyone and everything dressed in their best as the medical community mingled around the room. A band played quietly in the corner and the sound of clinking glasses could be heard as Bug and Lily entered. The look of fear returned to Bug's face when he took notice of the grandeur. Lily tugged on his arm, urging him into the room.

The couple made their way towards the tables, Lily grabbing two glasses of white wine as a waiter strolled by. "Drink," she ordered, handing Bug the glass. A raised eyebrow prompted an explanation. "It will relax you," she said, taking a long sip from her own.

Bug followed suit as he noticed his parents fast approaching, disapproval written on their faces. "Oh gawd," he murmured, downing half the glass.

"Mahesh," Kanchana greeted with a fake smile. "You brought the cleaning lady?"

"Mom," Bug warned. "You know Lily."

"What about Tushar's daughter?" Vikram joined in the critique. "Neha is a great match for you. Her parents are both highly respected."

"We didn't hit it off," Bug said, finishing his wine.

"Mahesh," his mother pleaded, "We just don't understand. You should be settling down, starting a family." She took his hands. "We just want you to be happy."

"How do you know what will make me happy?" Bug argued, the wine taking fast effect. "I barely know what I want."

Lily began to sink back from the group, not wanting to fuel the conflict. However, before the situation got out of hand, dinner was announced and everyone quickly made their way to the tables. Bug took hold of Lily's hand, his frustration and anger apparent in his grasp. He led her to their seats, following closely behind his parents.

"I'm sorry," Lily whispered into his ear, realizing her presence may be less than beneficial.

Bug stopped in his tracks, quickly turning towards her. His face instantly transformed from anger to regret. "I should be the one apologizing," he said. "My parents just don't understand." He mustered up a soft smile, pulling out Lily's chair. "I'm glad you're here," he murmured, taking a seat next to her.

The mood at the table was laboured as dinner was served; Bug's parents less than impressed with his recent outburst. The noise level in the room grew as conversations began and cutlery clanked against tables. The only other couple at the table was Dr. Sanders and his wife, who happened to be the administrator and close family friend. He immediately took notice of the uneasiness and piped up. "So Mahesh, your father tells me that you are working at the Boston Medical Examiner's office. Must be interesting work."

"It has its moments," Bug said, looking bashfully at his plate. "We have an interesting case at the moment involving a senior citizen's home and the apparent infestation of green bottle flies." Disgusted responses kept Bug from continuing.

Trying to save the moment, Bug looked over to Lily. "Lily is our grief councilor at the morgue." He smiled hopefully at her.

"Oh really?" Dr Saunders took the bait. "Where is your alma mater?"

Lily smiled awkwardly. "I graduated from Chatham College but actually took clinical psychology through correspondence from Walden University." She looked at a few blank stares before blushing. "It's in Minneapolis."

"Lily is an amazing councilor," Bug immediately jumped in. "Grieving families are not exactly easy to handle but she does it with ease." He smiled admiringly at Lily. "We couldn't do it without her."

"Do they teach janitorial skills at Walden as well?" Bug's mother muttered under her breath but not quiet enough.

Bug looked appallingly at her, shocked at the comment. He was about to tell her off when Lily stopped him. "It might not have been the best university but I learned quite a bit. I found it very beneficial."

Dr. Sanders smiled. "That is what's important. No matter what name is on the door, it all comes down to the education."

Lily smiled a thank you to the older doctor and returned to her meal. The remaining company did the same, the conversation somewhat more relaxed but still not easily forthcoming.

As dessert was being served, Bug became restless. Lily recognized his nervousness and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "You okay?" Lily whispered, immediately eying Kanchana's disapproval.

Bug sighed. "Yeah," he said, suddenly turning towards her. "Okay… no. I think I'm gonna throw up."

"You'll be fine," she reassured.

The Master of Ceremonies made his way up to the podium and gave a last few comments before introducing the keynote speaker.

"How do I look?" Bug asked Lily.

She reached over, again straightening his tie. "Like a successful doctor."

He smiled as the MC announced his name. "Please welcome Dr. Mahesh Vijayaraghavensatyanaryanamurthy," the man said, stumbling over the syllables.

Lily rolled her eyes and patted Bug on the back as he got up from the table. "Good luck," she whispered over the rising applause.

Bug positioned himself at the podium, nervously thanking the master of ceremonies. He turned to his audience, hands shaking as he set his speech on the ledge.

Clearing his throat, he began, "Good evening. When I was asked to speak at tonight's event, I was uncertain of my topic. As a practicing entomologist in the world of pathology, the only things we're worried about it our bodies."

A wave of laughter traveled through the crowd and Lily gave Bug an encouraging thumbs up. His confidence grew as he went on. "We all see insects in our day to day lives. We follow ants around the backyard as children and swat away enough mosquitoes to have us all arrested for murder. But what do we really know about these creatures? What information can they give us about ourselves?"

Lily looked around as Bug's speech continued noting the intense grasp he had on his audience. Although unconventional, Bug spoke volumes as his colleagues nodded in agreement with every word.

Lily found herself becoming transfixed, mixed feelings coursing through her. She was so proud of him; she saw in him more self-belief than she had ever seen before. For these few moments, all of his uncertainties melted away and Lily watched as he captivated world-renowned medical professionals – and herself. He periodically looked over at her, a smile playing on his lips, an affectionate glance creating butterflies in her stomach. Bug's words were silenced in her ears and she simply watched him, smiling as he emphatically continued.

"In conclusion, in the medical field we so often over look what is right in front of us. Entomology gives us the outlet to dig a little deeper and discover what is underneath," Bug finished, his last words breaking through Lily's reverie.

Applause erupted throughout the banquet hall and people began to rise, giving Bug a standing ovation. Lily was on her feet in an instant, clapping with pride. Bug thanked everyone and started down the stage stairs, immediately surrounded by colleagues. Lily hung back, by the table, watching as his parents rushed over, smiles adorning their faces. Bug hugged his mother and accepted a 'job well done' pat on the back from his father.

The MC interrupted the buzz in the room. "Thank you to Dr. Vijayaraghavensatyanaryanamurthy. The bar will be open until 12. Everyone enjoy the rest of the evening."

Bug continued to speak with excited doctors as he made his way back to the table. Lily greeted him with a large grin and a quick hug. "See?" she said, "I told you that you could do it!"

Bug looked at her, tenderly. "Thank you." He took a look around the room. "I want to speak with a couple of these people. Some of them want to talk about using entomology in their fields."

"That's wonderful!" Lily exclaimed, disappointment in her voice.

"But afterwards, if you're up to it… maybe a dance or two?" Bug smiled shyly.

"Definitely." Lily's grin reassured. "Now, go on. They're waiting for you."

Bug hugged her again and joined a group of professionals. Lily watched him, finally relaxing into his own element.

"Ms. Lebowski?" Lily turned to see Bug's mother standing before her.

"Please, call me Lily."

Kanchana nodded, a little uneasy. "I wanted to apologize to you," she said with a level of regret. "My comments earlier were uncalled for. When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong."

Lily shook it off. "No apology necessary."

The older woman sighed, contemplating her words. "I need you to understand something about Mahesh," she explained. "I love my son. His father and I have always wanted what was best for him. Academically, it was medical school at Oxford, internships at the best hospitals. And Mahesh has always excelled at that." She gazed over Lily's shoulder, proudly smiling at her son. "But socially, things are different. Our culture calls for certain traditions, certain expectations. But this was something Mahesh could not read in a textbook. He is shy and that doesn't help when it comes to girls. So, we have tried to find him someone – acceptable - but have been unsuccessful. We just wanted to make our son happy."

Lily grinned with appreciation. "I understand. He deserves to be happy."

"Yes, he does," Bug's mother agreed. "We thought maybe he would find someone on his own. A genuinely good person who values and cares for him." She looked directly at Lily with approval. "And I believe he has."


	7. Chapter 7

Lily sighed, glancing at the empty glass in her hand. _I need a drink_, she thought as she politely grinned at the man speaking to her. She had spent the last 20 minutes listening to Dr. Neufeld, a podiatrist who took Lily's solitude as the chance to explain the latest advancements in the treatment of feet.

She was about to go comatose when a warm and familiar hand caressed her back. She turned to see Bug at her side, grinning at her torture.

"Ah… Dr. Vija – Vijaya…" Dr. Neufeld struggled.

"Please, call me Mahesh."

"Ah yes… great speech… very interesting," he commended. "Well, I was just telling Lily here that a person in her line of work should be taking good care of their feet. There are all sorts of troubling problems…"

"Like bunions," Lily interrupted with disgust. She grabbed the drink from Bug's hand and quickly emptied it.

"Sounds fascinating," Bug commented, taunting Lily's dilemma. However, not wanting to prolong it, he added, "But I'm afraid someone promised me a dance."

"Oh, of course," Dr. Neufeld exclaimed. "We can talk more about this later. Here is my card." He reached into his pocket, handing one to Lily.

"That's great," Lily said with some sarcasm. "Nice meeting you." She was immediately led away by Bug who took the card from her hand and stuck it in his pocket.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you…" she gushed, setting Bug's glass on a table and following him to the dance floor.

"It didn't look like you were having much fun," Bug said, wrapping his arm tightly around her and sweeping her into a slow song. With hands intertwined between them, he looked at her with guilt. "First my mother and then Dr. Neufeld…"

Lily smirked. "Well, if you want to know anything about corns, I'm your man."

Bug shook his head. "The conversation with my mother looked intense."

Lily's features softened, knowing that Bug was hunting for information. "We had a really good talk," she reassured.

"Oh?"

Lily nodded. "She apologized… and gave me something to think about."

Bug's eyebrows were raised in question. "Something I should know?"

Lily sighed, gazing at him. "Maybe," she said. Bug simply nodded and Lily felt his arm tighten around her waist, pulling her closer. Silence fell between them as Lily rested her head on his shoulder. She savoured the contact as the first song drifted into the next.

"Lily?"

"Hmmm?" she mumbled, not quite hearing him.

"Do you realize how beautiful you are?" Bug whispered into her ear.

Lily lifted her head, looking at him incredulously. She then began to chuckle. "You're drunk."

"No, I'm…" Bug defended and then laughed. "Yeah, okay… maybe just a little." His smile faded and was replaced with a look of affection. "But in all seriousness, I mean it."

Lily stared at him, considering his words. "I don't hear that very often," she said quietly, her eyes transfixed with Bug's.

"That's a shame," he replied, watching her bite her lip. "You should be told that all the time."

"Thank you," Lily blushed. She glanced at him carefully and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. "Thank you."

She then wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging Bug to her. His arms encircled her back and the couple danced close together for several more songs. When the band finally took a break, Lily slowly lifted her head and smiled sweetly. "That was nice," she said, playing with Bug's tie.

"Yeah, it was," he replied simply, suddenly lost in her eyes.

For several moments they were the only two on the dance floor, merely looking at one another with fondness and not too sure what to do.

Finally Bug sighed, looking at his feet. "You about ready to leave?" he asked, trying to end the awkwardness.

"Yeah," she whispered, shivering as Bug let her go.

"I'll go and get our coats," he offered. She nodded and watched as he left the room, hoping that she had done the right thing.

XXXXX

Bug handed two tickets to the coat check attendant and sighed as he waited. The night had taken an interesting turn. Bug was slightly taken aback by Lily's kiss and he was still confused about her intentions. He knew they were friends – great friends – but he already had one failed attempt with her. What else could he do?

"Mahesh?"

Bug turned to see his parents standing behind him. "Mom… Dad. I thought you had left."

His mother smiled. "You were a little busy." She stepped forward. "We are so proud of you."

"Thank you, Mom." Bug grinned. It was a compound statement, coming from his mother.

"And I was wrong about Lily," she spoke hopefully. "**She** is a very nice girl."

"She's my friend, Mom," Bug warned.

"Mahesh…" Kanchana started, not quite believing his statement.

"She means a lot to me," he admitted. "I just don't know how she feels…"

His mother's smile widened. "She is here, Heshy. Doesn't that mean something?"

Bug considered her words, nodding. He let out a large sigh and hugged his mother. "When does your flight leave?"

"Tomorrow at 6am," his father piped in. "We'll take a cab."

"Dad…" Bug pleaded.

"It's too early. We will be fine," his father said with force, ending the conversation.

Bug nodded, hugging his father. "I'll see you when I get home."

His mother hung onto his arm. "Good night, Mahesh."

Bug kissed her cheek. "Night, Mom."

He watched his parents leave and turned back to the attendant who had been waiting out the family gathering. Bug thanked him for the coats and started back towards the ballroom only to find Lily standing at the end of hall.

"I saw your parents before they left," she said as he reached her. "They told me that I should take care of you."

"Oh really?" Bug chuckled, helping Lily on with her coat. "They're quite concerned with my well-being."

"And they have every right to be," she said. "They're your parents. And they know what they're talking about."

Bug took her arm. "So, how do you plan to take care of me?" he asked as they made their way out front to an awaiting taxi.

Lily winked at him, as he helped her inside. "Oh, I have my ways."

Bug followed in after her and leaned towards the driver. "The East Side, please," he said before sitting back and wrapping his arm around a shivering Lily. She snuggled into him, her head resting on his chest.

"Lily?" he whispered after some hesitation.

"Yeah?"

Bug sighed, trying to muster up some courage. "Do you think this could ever work?" He paused briefly. "I mean, you and me?"

Lily lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. A sweet smile appeared on her face and removing the distance between them, she kissed him. Her determination and passion took Bug by surprise but he quickly responded in kind. Lily slowly broke away, looking slightly bashful.

"Yeah, I do," she said quietly, before kissing him again.

Bug was the one to break away this time, a huge grin on his face. He searched her face, making sure that he had heard her right. When her eyes confirmed his thoughts, he hugged her to him and kissed the top of her head.

"On second thought," he spoke to the driver, "Better make it the south side."

XXXXX

Bug strolled into the break room, lightly humming to himself. "Morning," he said brightly to Jordan and Nigel who were impatiently waiting for the coffee to perk.

"Sorry Bug," Jordan said. "We get dibs on the coffee. First come, first serve."

"Not a problem," Bug replied happily, sitting down at a table. "I'm in no hurry."

Jordan looked suspiciously at Nigel. "Ok," she said with defeat. "What's going on here? What happened to the surly Bug we know and love?"

Bug simply shrugged, a slight grin on his face. Nigel's eyes suddenly brightened with realization. "Oh my gawd," he exclaimed. "Buggles, you dog!"

Jordan looked between them with confusion as Nigel patted Bug on the back. "Ok," she said. "What did I miss?"

With a smile, Nigel announced, "Someone got lucky this weekend!" As Bug turned eight shades of red, affirming the statement, Jordan nodded with no surprise.

"And I bet it was that gorgeous little vixen your parents brought in the other day," Nigel concluded with a suggestive eyebrow.

Bug scrunched up his face. "No," he laughed awkwardly. "We didn't hit it off."

Jordan remained silent while Nigel continued the inquisition. "Well, then… who?" He stepped behind Bug, shaking his shoulders. "Come on. At least tell me if she's hot…"

At that moment, Bug looked up and into the hall where Lily walked by. She noticed him with a quick wave and hurried along. Nigel followed his friend's line of sight as another revelation hit him. "Lily!" Nigel slammed his hand on a nearby table, breaking Bug's reverie. "Buggles, Buggles… sometimes you amaze me!"

Bug's shocked and shameful face told the truth. He stood, trying to find a way to flee. "I gotta go," he said anxiously, making his way to the door.

Nigel looked over at Jordan, shaking his head. He looked at her questioningly. "You don't look surprised."

Jordan shrugged. "Maybe I'm not."

"You knew about this interoffice hanky panky and didn't bother to tell me?" Nigel teased. "I thought we were friends." He sighed, grabbing two cups from the cupboard. "Well, I must say, it's about time."

Jordan grinned, turning back towards the coffee pot. "Yeah," she said, pouring them each a cup. "Yeah, it is."

XXXXX

"Hey."

Lily lifted her head to see Bug standing in the doorway of her office. She stood quickly, uneasily wringing her hands. "Hi," she smiled. "How are you?"

"I'm good," he replied, slowly stepping into the room. "You?"

"I'm good too."

They eyed each other in silence before both speaking at once.

"We need to talk."

Bug chuckled uncomfortably. "You first."

Lily nodded, swallowing hard. "Okay… uh… Bug, about Friday night?"

"Yeah?" Bug stared at the floor, looking worried.

"Listen…" Lily removed the distance between them. "I, um… I had a great time on Friday. It was a lot of fun," Lily stumbled over her words. "Look… I've never been good with relationships." She smiled weakly at him. "I mean… you've seen some of the guys I've dated."

"Yeah," Bug answered, claiming defeat.

"But…" Lily glanced down at her fingers. "But I meant what I said." She grabbed his hands and looked him in the eye. "You mean a lot to me, Bug. Both as a friend… and maybe something more? I would like to give this… us… a try." She smiled hopefully. "If that's what you want…"

A look of relief swept over Bug's face and he gently squeezed their intertwined hands. "Yeah," he replied calmly. "I do." He tentatively took her face in his hands and tenderly kissed her lips. Her arms slowly wrapped around his shoulders, melting into his embrace.

After several moments, Lily gently pushed away. "Someone might see," she said, nodding towards the windows.

Bug simply shrugged, a silly grin on his face. "They probably all know by now anyways."

"What?" Lily exclaimed, slightly startled. "How?"

"You know how news travels in this place," he said before warmly kissing her again. "Besides, it's Monday."


End file.
